Julian Construction Advises Public How to Protect Your Foundation in the Summer

LOS ANGELES: Julian Construction (http://www.julianconstruction.com), a foundation repair and construction company in Los Angeles, shares some tips on protecting your foundation in the summer.

Hot summer weather brings with it a unique set of potential problems for your home’s foundation, that can end up costing thousands to repair.

Here are a few ways you can protect your foundation when the mercury rises.

• “Regularly inspect the outside of your home. Check for signs of foundation damage such as cracks and sticking doors, but also check and make sure any brick, vinyl, siding, or wood on the exterior is at least six inches above the bottom of the foundation. Dirt and leaves can make this clearance insufficient and allow moisture into your foundation.
• “Make sure water doesn’t pool anywhere near your foundation. Check after a summer storm or after watering the foundation (see # 5). If you do find water pooling in an area, remove it and fill the spot in with dirt to keep it from happening again.
• “Clean and inspect the gutters regularly. Debris and faulty gutters can cause water to collect where it can cause water damage. When you clear the gutters, dispose of the debris properly. If you leave it on the ground it can cause pooling.
• “Maintain foliage around the home. Cut back vines and foliage on your home. An overgrowth can prevent proper airflow and lead to water damage.
• “And lastly, if you have clay soil on your property, extreme heat can cause the soil to dry out, shifting the foundation and leading to foundation damage. You can prevent this by lightly watering the soil around your foundation regularly and maintaining the moisture level.

Julian De La Torre, founder and owner of Julian Construction, stated: “Keeping your home’s foundation in good repair is so important, it’s the first thing we look at when we go to a home with structural problems. And maintaining the foundation will prevent more serious problems from occurring in the future. Always get your home inspected on a regular basis. It’s important for the safety of your home.”

Julian Construction owns its own company and is built on a “no middlemen” model – no salesmen, no subcontractors. When you work with Julian Construction you get the principals of the company and workers of Julian Construction under your home. The result is the highest quality work at affordable prices. They can be contacted by phone at 323 733-3377, by fax at 323 733-4477 or via their website, http://www.julianconstruction.com. You can see tips and advice about home foundations on their blog, at http://julianconstruction.com/blog/

Do You Need to Water Your Foundation?

Julian Construction (http://www.julianconstruction.com) a foundation repair and construction company in Los Angeles, explains when and how to water your home’s foundation, and most importantly, why.

Clay soils expand when they absorb water, and shrink when they dry out. If your home is built in an area with clay soil your home could be at risk of foundation damage caused by seasonal changes in the weather. Clay soil tends to retain water and expand in winter and spring, and dry out and shrink in the summer, especially during a prolonged drought.

All of that expansion and contraction can cause foundation stress when the foundation tries to bend in ways that it can’t, and can lead to different types of foundation damage including; cracks in walls, sloping floors, sticking doors and windows, and damage to plumbing or electrical wiring.

One way that you can halt this type of foundation-damage causing action is by maintaining the moisture level of the soil under and immediately surrounding your home. If the moisture level is consistent, there won’t be any expansion and contraction motion shifting or damaging the foundation.
One way to achieve this is a buried foundation watering system, like a larger version of a drip irrigation system. You can also use a soaker hose- either above ground or buried about three inches deep. Soaker hoses are much less expensive than a buried foundation watering system, but still very effective. Another option is to use a hand-held hose, but you’ll have to be patient- it can take a while to water the area thoroughly.

Make sure you keep the water source 6”-12” away from the foundation to give it a chance to spread out evenly. Keep an eye out for signs of foundation damage, and if you find any contact a local foundation company to help take care of the problems.


Julian De La Torre, founder and owner of Julian Construction, stated: “Keeping your home’s foundation in good repair is so important, it’s the first thing we look at when we go to a home with structural problems. And maintaining the foundation will prevent more serious problems from occurring in the future. Always get your home inspected on a regular basis. It’s important for the safety of your home.”

Julian Construction owns its own company and is built on a “no middlemen” model – no salesmen, no subcontractors. When you work with Julian Construction you get the principals of the company and workers of Julian Construction under your home. The result is the highest quality work at affordable prices. They can be contacted by phone at 323 733-3377, by fax at 323 733-4477 or via their website, http://julianconstruction.com. You can see tips and advice about home foundations on their blog, at http://julianconstruction.com/blog/

JulianConstruction.com: Building a Retaining Wall

By Julian De La Torre

Retaining walls have many uses. Throughout history, they have been built to create agricultural terraces on slopes of land. They have also been used to reduce the flow of rainwater.

Today, retaining walls are primarily a protective structure used to prevent soil erosion, flooding, property or structural damage. They can also be used to create more usable space and reduce maintenance.
Some retraining walls are built simply to create a more aesthetic environment.

Retaining walls can be constructed with many different types of materials, including concrete, steel, stone, brick, composites, wood and even glass.

There are also various kinds of retaining walls, including anchored walls, sheet pile walls, gravity walls and cantilevers.

Anchored walls are complex restraining walls built with cables. The cables are anchored into the soil or rock behind the wall. Anchored walls are used when a wall needs extra support to restrain the load.

Sheet piling walls are used in cases where the space is tight or the soil is soft. The wall is created by connecting panels of steel, but vinyl and wood can also be used.

Gravity restraining walls, which are built using stone, concrete or other types of heavy materials, use their own weight to keep soil from moving. The wall is constructed leaning backwards toward the soil.

Cantilever walls are used to hold back a large amount of soil. They are made with steel-reinforced concrete that rests on a slab foundation. Less material is needed to build a cantilever wall than a gravity wall.

We’ve constructed many different types of restraining walls and can give you some tips and advice on the type of wall needed for your project. Give us a call for a free consultation. We’ll inspect your property and come up with a great plan for the perfect restraining wall.


Julian De La Torre, expert foundation contractor in Los Angeles foundation repair, house leveling & foundation inspection (Los Angeles) and founder of Julian Construction (http://www.julianconstruction.com) in Los Angeles, has inspected over 15,000 structures, working with engineering firms & local departments of building & safety. The company has done more home foundation repair and soft story retrofit (Los Angeles) than any other company in the area over the last five years (http://julianconstruction.com/services/retaining-walls/). Julian Construction owns its own company and is a "no middlemen" model--no salesmen or subcontractors--you get the principals of the company & its workers under your home. Learn more about Julian Construction at http://losangelesfoundationrepair.us/.

See their video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oI6-SXw6Z1c. Visit us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Julian-Construction-99434631315/?fref=ts